Speed switch lubricating system



March 1, 1960 A. w. GAUBATZ I SPEED SWITCH LUBRICATING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 23, 1958 IN VEN TOR B Y 6772952 [1/ 64211301? ATTORNEY SPEED SWITCH LUBRICATINGSYSTEM Arthur W. Gaubatz, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application October 23, 1958, Serial No. 769,133

5 Claims. (Cl. 264-15) The present invention relates to a lubricating mechanism for a speed controlled apparatus and more specifically one in which the speed responsive portion of the apparatus is utilized .to provide the motivating force for moving lubricant therethrough.

In control apparatus of the type shown .in Patent 2,786,667 Gaubatz, a speed responsive shaft is suitably mounted on a plurality of bearing members and which shaft is in turn adapted to drive governor or flyweights in such a manner as to control a plurality of switching devices. In the past, the ball bearings have been scaled "nit-e States Patent 0 ice by a sleeve member 28 slidably disposed on a governor shaft 30. A plurality of centrifugally operating flyweights 32 are plvotally mounted through suitable brackets on a flange member 34 secured for rotation with one end of shaft 30. The other end of governor shaft 30 is fixed to the auxiliary drive shaft 14 to be driven thereby.

As the governor shaft is rotated with progressively increasing speeds fiyweights 32 move radially outwardly causing a pivoting movement about their pivot points 36. Weights 32 engage a thrust bearing member 38, the inner race of which is fixed to sleeve 28 to urge the latter in a leftwardly direction as viewed in the drawings. The leftward or switch actuating movement of sleeve 28 is progressively resisted by a plurality of springs 42, 44 and 46 which are sequentially engaged by a stepped face 48 formed at the enlarged end 50 of sleeve 28. Thus when the governor shaft speed reaches a predetermined value, spring 42 is overcome permitting sleeve end 50 to actuate the first member thereby actuating the low speed switch. Thereafter, as the intermediate and high speed springs 44 and 46 are overcome the corresponding switches will be energized. It is apparent that the and grease packed with a limited supply of lubricant. I

Bearing} failures resulted due to evaponation and oxidation of the lubricant in the grease. The dry bearings would then rapidly heat and fail.

- In the present invention a unique lubricating mechanism is provided whereby the centrifugal action of the flyweights is utilized with other structure to draw an oil mist through the bearings to provide the requisite lubrication therefor. The oil mist utilized for lubrication purposes is already in the control apparatus environment since it is used for lubricating other portions of the accessory drive mechanism with which the apparatus is associated. By virtue of the subject unique design and utilization of components already in existence in the apparatus, a relatively simple and inexpensive lubricating system is provided which substantially eliminates failures due to burned out bearings as experienced in the past.

The details as well as other objects and advantages of the subject device will be apparent from a perusal of the detailed description which follows. v

The drawing shows a speed control apparatus embodying the subject lubricating system.

[The control apparatus, per se, is the same as that shown in the aforenoted Gaubatz patent and the present invention relates to the manner in which the apparatus has been modified to provide the subject lubricating system.

While of general applicability, the present invention has been illustrated in a part of the environment of a turbine engine control system. A control apparatus is shown generally at 10 and is adapted to be suitably mounted on a supporting bracket 12 which also provides support for one end of an auxiliarydrive shaft 14. One end of auxiliary drive shaft 14 is supported within a bearing member 16 suitably housed within the-supporting bracket. The auxiliary drive shaft mechanism including bearing 16 is lubricated with an oil mist. To a certain extent an oil mist will inevitably exist wherever oil is delivered to-., rapidly. rotating parts in the presence of air. However, if it "is desired to insure a regulated quantity of oil mist, means such as a pump 18 may draw lubricant from a casing sump 20 and discharge the same through a nozzle 22 which will mix the oil with air to fill the casing with such mist.

Briefly, control apparatus 10 includes a plurality of peripherally disposed microswitch devices 24 having switch actuating members 26 adapted to be sequentially engaged switches 24 may be utilized in any manner to control the operation of the power plant with which the control apparatus is associated.

In addition to thrust bearing 38, control apparatus 10 includes a pair of end bearings 52 and 54 which support the governor shaft 30 within the control apparatus casing sections 56 and 58. As already noted, in the past, the bearings within the control apparatus have failed due to evaporation and oxidation of the sealed lubricant. Further, notwithstanding the proximity of the oil mist to the control apparatus, such mist could not lubricate the bearings due to the sealed condition of the latter. In the present invention, control apparatus 10 has been suitably modified so that the oil mist theresurrounding is adapted to be circulated through the apparatus in a way to insure proper lubrication of the bearings disposed therewithin.

As already noted, sleeve 28 is coaxially mounted upon the governor shaft 30 for sliding movement relative thereto. 30 to form an annular space or passage 60 therobetween. The left end of space 60 is in open communication with spring chamber 62 which in turn openly communicates through unsealed bearing 52 with the exterior of the control apparatus proximate the auxiliary shaft 14. l

Flyweight supporting flange 34 is provided with a plurality of inclined ports 64 generally aligned with, although axially spaced from, the outer or right end of annular space 60. Flange ports 64 extend in the direction of the ball members 66 of bearing54. Bearing 54 is mounted in a thrust member 63 suitably mounted within end casing 58. Casing 58 is enclosed by a cover and defines therewith a bearing chamber 72. Flange a 34 and thrust member 68 are axially spaced so as to provide a radially extending annular passage 74 therebetween the purpose of which will subsequently be made clear.

A plurality of inclined passages 76 are formed within sleeve 28 intermediate the ends thereof and communicate at one end with annular space 60. The other ends .of passages 76'are directed toward the bearing elements '78 of bearing 38. Sleeve passages 76 and radial passage 74 In addition, sleeve 28 is radially spaced from shaft 56 in communication at one end with tube 82 and at its other end openly communicating with the space exteriorly of apparatus 10.

The operation of the subject lubricating,v device is as follows: as the governor shaft 36 is rotated, fiyweights 32' willalso rotate and in so doing create a centrifuging action resulting in a partial vacuum within the flyweight chamber 831 The partial vacuum draws the oil mist through bearing 52 into spring chamber 62 through annular space 66 where it will iiow through inclined passages 76 to lubricate thrust bearing At the time, oil mist flows out of space 6b to flange ports 64 where it will likewise lubricate bearing The oil'rnist is then thrown radially outwardly and tangentially due to the centrifuging action of the fly-weights where the mist is collected in end 36 of tube 82 and transmitted therethrough to be discharged from casing passage 83. The lubricant that remains in mist form may then be recirculated through the control apparatus while that which returns to a liquid form may drip down and be collected in sump casing 29;

It is apparent that the subject lubricating mechanism may be achieved with a relatively slight modification of the existing control apparatus resulting in an inexpensive lubricating system which insures a considerably longer bearing life. it is also obvious that certain structural modifications may be made in the lubricating mechanism within the intended scope of the invention as set forth in the hereinafter appended claims.

Iclaiin:

l. A lubricating system for a speed controlled apparatus,v said apparatus con rising a housing, a shaft member disposed withinsaid housing, a plurality of bearing members rotatably sup-porting said shaft within said housing, a chamber formed within said housing, a plurality of flyweight members disposed within said chamber and mounted for rotation with said shaft, a sleeve member coaxially disposed about said shaft member and radially spaced therefrom to define an annular passage therebetween, a thrust bearing member disposed intermediate said' sleeve member and said flyweights for imparting an axial movement to said sleeve as said flyweights are: caused to move under the action of centrifugal force, said annular passage communicating at one end with a space exteriorly of said apparatus, first port means having an end axially aligned with one end of said annular passage and another end terminating adjacent one of said shaft supporting bearings, second at one end with said annular passage and terminating at the other end proximate the thrust bearing, said first and second ports also communicating with said fiyweight chamher, a conduit disposed within said housing and terminating at one end in an open portion disposed radially outwardly ofsaid fiyweights, the other end of said conduit being supported within said housing and communicating with the space exteriorly of the apparatus, and means for supplying an oil mist lubricant to-said space exteriorly of'said apparatus, rotation of said flyweights being adapted through centrifugal action to draw said mist through said annular passage where it will be discharged to said first and second ports against the bearings respectively, disposed proximate thereto after which said-lubricant is withdrawn from said chamber by said conduitv and re turned to the space exteriorly of saidv apparatus.

2. A lubricating system for a speed controlled apparatus, said apparatus comprising a housing, a shaft member disposed within said housing,.a plurality of bearport means communicating 4. ing members rotatably supporting said shaft within said housing, a flange member fixed for rotation with said shaft, an enlarged chamber formed within said housing, a plurality of fiyweight members pivotally mounted on said flange, a sleeve member coaxially disposed about said shaft member and radially spaced therefrom to de fine an annular passage .therebetween, a thrust bearing member mounted on said sleeve member, said flyweights being adapted to engage said thrust bearing to impart an axial movement to said sleeve as said fiy-weights move under the action of centrifugal force, said annular passage communicating at one end with a space exteriorly of said apparatus, first port. means formed in said flange and having an end axially aligned with one end of said annular passage and another end terminatmg adjacent one of said shaft supporting bearings, second port means formed in said sleeve communicating at one end with said annular passage and terminating at the other end proximate the thrust bearing, said first and second ports also communicatin with said flyweight chamber, a conduit disposed within said housing and terminating at one end in an open portion disposed radially outwardly of said fiyweights, the other end of said conduit being supported within said housing and communicating with the space cxteriorly of the apparatus, and means for supplying an oil mist lubricant to said space exteriorly of said apparatus, rotation of said flyweights being adapted through centrifugal action to draw'said mist through said annula'rpassage where it will be discharged to said first and second ports against the bearings respectively disposed proximate thereto after which said lubricant is withdrawn from said chamber by said conduit and returned to the space exteriorly of said apparatus.

3. A lubricating system for a control apparatus of the type including a housing within which is disposed a rotatable shaft having a plurality of flyweights fixed for rotation thereon and which shaft is mounted within said housing in a plurality of supporting bearing members, said system including means for pro iding an oil mist lubricant exteriorly of said housing, passage means disposed proximate the axis of said shaft and communicating with at least one of said bearing members, said passage means also cornmunicatingwith the space exteriorly of said housing exposed to said oil mist, the rotation of said flyweights creating a centrifuging action to draw said oil mist through said passage means and expose said bearing members to the lubricant, and conduit means including one end disposed within said housing in radially spaced relation to said flyweights, the other end of said conduit means communicating with the space exteriorlyof said housing whereby the centrifuging action of said fiyweights will cause said lubricant to be collected within said" conduit means and returned to the space exteriorly of said housing.

42 A lubricating system as set forth in claim 1 in which the open portion of said conduit is generally tangentially disposed with respect to said flyweights.

5; A lubricating system as set forth in claim 1 in which said. bearing members are unsealed permitting lubricant to pass therethrougli.

References Cited in the'file-of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 13,682. Windeler etal. Feb. 3, 1914 2,401,558 Edwards June 4, 1946' 2,513,674 Price July 4, 1950' 2,606,752: Slonnoger Aug. 12, 1952 

